How to Get Things Done Like the Pros You Admire

There you are, you’re ready to accomplish that long, sought-after goal but you can’t seem to find the time. Motivation can be a tricky thing, especially when it’s complicated by the sheer amount of distractions coming our way from every conceivable angle at any given moment. How on earth can you ever expect to get your “normal” obligations accomplished, let alone find the time to actually accomplish an extraordinary goal or two you have on your list? After all, there are other people out there “doing it”. Why can’t you?

As for motivation, it is fleeting. We generally understand that it either flows from within or is externally-driven. Either way, it is typically powered by the strength of our vision or the urgency of a situation. 

Suffice it to say, you can have all the motivation you need, but if you give in to distractions, you will eventually become frustrated (and consumed) by the devastating impact of distractions. In other words, distractions can kill motivation. 

So, if it is up to us to keep distractions to a minimum to fuel the motivation we need, what are we to do? How do we find the motivation we need to overcome the urge to give in to distractions that invariably rob us from accomplishing our goals?  For answers, I have come up with three tips that will put things into perspective. As a bonus, I have reached out to two highly-accomplished people I know and trust to gather their perspective. Use their advice in tandem with the tips below and you’ll be plugged into the most powerful source for getting things accomplished—your own motivation!

Attach a Reason to the Task

Nothing is more powerful than the reason you attach to your goals and aspirations. Some call it your “why”. Your reason is the engine to your vision or desire for achievement. Your reason must be compelling enough to fuel the motivation you need to have to consistently accomplish the tasks in spite of the inevitable distractions. 

Being motivated about a task doesn’t always mean you’re happy about doing it. It simply means you have the “power” to put distractions at bay and follow through to completion—consistently—to create momentum. Your accomplishments will inevitably lead to satisfaction and happiness, both of which have a sustaining effect on your ability to tap into your determination to repeat the process. 

Prioritize, Then Take Action

Taking a step back can provide some much-needed perspective on your goals. It can also overwhelm you. So, it’s wise to approach the accomplishment process realistically. The best way is to break the overall process down into bite-sized tasks, and then, prioritize. 

Once you prioritize your tasks, take consistent action (notice a developing trend?) to produce results you can sink your teeth into. Once you begin seeing evidence of your results, you’ll find that your motivation is a lot easier to tap into to continue producing even more results. 

Use the 15-Minute Rule

Finding time to accomplish a task, even if it’s routine, can sometimes be an arduous undertaking, especially if you look at the entirety of your desired goal. But if you can “break up” a task into manageable segments that can be accomplished in, say, fifteen-minute increments, then finding time should be less of an issue. 

Consistency is the number one fundamental aspect of accomplishment. Without it, achievement is nearly impossible. To produce the consistency—and motivation—required to accomplish your goals and objectives, you must do something related to your goal every-single-day. 

You see, our brains are wired in such a way as to form close associations, or familiarity, with what we do consistently. It only makes sense that, the more you do something, the better you become at doing that very thing. The amount of time you spend on a task in a given session is less important than the frequency with which you connect to the task. In other words, even a mere fifteen minutes every day matters more than an eight-hour day once a month. 

So, as you approach your next extraordinary goal, take the time to consider these tips along with those of my friends and colleagues below. You’ll be glad you did. And you’ll have a lot greater success in tapping into your own internal motivation source.

Perspectives

Colleen Riddle

Author, CPFT, and Young Living Gold Distributor

www.ColleenRiddle.com

Did you know that YOU are actually in charge of your attitude every day? Some days when I'm in a funk, or grumpy, I remind myself that I have the power to shift my energy and attitude at any time. I just have to decide. 

One great way to shift is by beginning the day with rituals. Things we do every morning actually set the tone for the way the rest of the day will likely go. So, I thought I’d share a few of the daily rituals that help prepare me for my day.

1.     Gratitude: Before I get out of bed, I think of ten things I am grateful for—from the warm cozy bed to the roof over my head and everything in between. Sounds simple, but simplicity can actually be quite profound.

2.    Personal Development/Meditation: I notice a huge difference in my attitude when I take the time to read or meditate. If you aren't a reader, there are great books you can listen to on audible. I love listening to books while I'm driving. Podcasts are another great option. One of my favorite ones is "The Quote of the Day." Most are no longer than ten minutes long and are a perfect way to program my outlook for the day.

3.     Practice Visualization: Visualization is huge for me because it reminds me of my "why," and motivates me to kick ass because I'm on a mission! You can even break it down and decide how you want your day to go by visualizing the things you’ll get accomplished. Have an important meeting? Visualize the way you want it to go! Seriously, this works. Give it a shot! 

Kirk Hendricks
Author, Advisor, and Awareness Advocate

I consider time as a construct of the human mind. There is only as much time as we create for ourselves to accomplish a task…or attain our goals, as some would say. This is why people find time to get as much done as they want, while others cannot find the time to do much of anything constructive. It is a truth that time is a concept of our conscious experience, and each of us has the power to create or destroy it, whichever we choose.

I personally, choose to wake up on the weekends a couple of hours before my family. It is my time to freely choose to do whatever I want, which I do. I also get up at 4:30 am every weekday to work out and meditate in order to begin each day on a positive note, which I also freely choose to do. I also take the time to observe, as in the manner in which I observe the moments I put into this text before I sat down to write my thoughts so that it flowed more easily when the opportunity arose. And yes, I chose to do that too.

There are those who embrace conventional wisdom concerning the concept of time, which certainly has its place when considering how you can leverage it to your best advantage. I believe that, once you find the time, you will appreciate both perspectives.

Until next time...

- G -

"I consider time as a construct of the human mind. Therefore, you have inherent power over it." 
~ Kirk Hendricks

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